


This Feeling...

by FatCuddlySeal



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Cuddling, F/M, Falling Irrevocably In Love, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Internal Conflict, Love Story, Mentions Of The Royal Guards, Romance, Straying From The Original Plot, Thoughts Behind The Scenes, uncontrollable desire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-14 00:49:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17498492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FatCuddlySeal/pseuds/FatCuddlySeal
Summary: An idea that's been drifting in and out of my mind after I finished watching Hunter x Hunter. In which Meruem proposes a wager over a gungi game, and the outcome is different to that in the anime.





	1. First Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All!
> 
> I shipped this couple the most after I finished watching Hunter x Hunter and wanted to write something on them. So this is what I came up with <3 I'll probably add 2 more chapters to this when I have the time, so stay tuned.
> 
> Also, this chapter has no smut, just a lot of fluff at the end. So if you don't like hot and heavy, this should probably be an ok read for you. Be warned about the coming chapters though (as per the explicit rating)!!!
> 
> All characters are not mine!!! Half of the plot would be mine and the other half is adapted from the anime.
> 
> Enjoy! ^_^

Her world had been in darkness ever since she was a baby. It was not due to the disability in her eyes which caused it. Her sense of sight had been lost sometime during the short eighteen years of her harrowing life. She thought it was most probably when she had been a toddler. Rather, the oppressive eternal night that surrounded her raged whenever her own parents locked her in her room after a sound beating. Leaving her whimpering and bleeding her back out on the wooden floor boards. It surged for her whenever she overheard her older siblings discussing whether to throw her out of the house so they had one less useless mouth to feed. She could almost touch the darkness swirling around her each and every time she passed the neighbors, felt their blatant stares and hear their hushed whispering about how she would bring bad luck to their village. She had been living with it for so long, so much so that she felt almost as one with the pitch black darkness enveloping her.

She neither blamed her family for the physical and verbal abuse that they heaped on her nor did she blame the village folk for rejecting her. She understood her place in her own home and in society. She was worthless, she could not earn her keep in her family, could not contribute to her village, could not do anything with her frail body and unseeing eyes. She agreed with her siblings when they had said she was just an extra mouth to feed. It was natural that the people around her would treat her this way. She accepted all of it. But…

But it still hurt. It hurt when her Pa whipped her with his belt until her skin split. It hurt when her Ma slapped her across the face so hard that she collapsed onto the pale white kitchen tiles. It hurt when she could feel the disgusted and indifferent stares of her siblings and neighbors boring into her back. All of it pained her and broke her heart into a million tiny pieces. Still, she accepted everything and did not retaliate because of one simple reason. She understood them.

One day, while recovering from one of the worst beatings in her life in her locked dusty room, her shivering fingers fumbled across a small round stone under her bed. It felt like a stone, save for the fact that it was smooth and that there were indentations in the middle of both its sides. Her hand slowly patted the area under her bed, curiosity rising once she felt the Japanese character for “King” carved into the smooth stone. The tips of her fingers finally brushed something hard made of wood. She got a hold of it and carefully slid her hand out from underneath the bed as she gingerly sat up, trying her best not to let the folds of her dress touch the fresh painful wounds on her swollen back.

Touching and tracing her hands all around the object, she noted that it was a square board with lines dividing it into 81 smaller squares which led her to deduce that it was a board game of some sort and that the “King” stone she had touched earlier was one of the many pieces to be put on top of the board. She cautiously opened the small velvet pouch which had been entangled together with the board and poured the pieces slowly out into her hand, careful not to make a sound should her parents hear her. Patiently, she traced each and every piece, trying to make sense of the words carved into them. Shinobi, she mouthed as she put down one stone and took hold of another. Samurai, General, Fortress.

Her heart grew with every piece she touched, intrigued by the board game before her. Little did she know that this game would be her salvation, the light that would soon banish the eternal darkness that was her world.

Komugi was twelve when she had first discovered gungi. A year later, she would be crowned “Gungi World Champion”.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Wake up,” an authoritative voice ordered, jolting her awake. Komugi jumped as she sat up straight on the lush pillow beneath her, quickly taking the cloth that she always used to wipe the snot and drool that was hanging from her nose and the corner of her mouth. “Yes sir, Supreme Leader!” she said as she stuffed the grimy cloth back into her pockets. “Did you rest well, sir?” she asked politely.

After a moment of silence, during which Komugi started to worry if she had asked the wrong question, he answered in that same voice, “Rest is frivolous for me. I don’t need it.” She contemplated that answer for a bit, a little puzzled that someone would not need any rest at all, but decided not to push it. She bowed her head slightly and said, “Of course, forgive me, Supreme Leader. Would you like to start playing now?” She poured the gungi pieces into her lap, enthusiastic to play another round with the new leader of East Gorteau.

When the guards had first summoned her to the Royal Palace, informing her that East Gorteau’s King wanted to challenge her at gungi, she was cowed and slightly intimidated by the fact that a person of such high ranking would bother to take any notice of her skill at a simple board game. Along the journey to the palace however, that intimidation had turned into jittery anticipation and humble reverence for her people’s leader. Rarely did anyone take such an interest in her, much less the highly feared East Gorteau ruler! She recalled the silent vow she had made then. To play her best in order to show her utmost respect in the Supreme Leader for deigning to play with her. Upon her arrival in his throne room, she had been ordered to sit at the exact same pillow she was currently sitting on. From the closeness of the person’s voice, she deduced that she was sitting opposite him with the gungi board in between them, meaning that the person who had ordered her to sit was Ming Jol-Ik, East Gorteau’s leader. The very person who had summoned her.

She was highly confused at the time. Her sharp sense of hearing told her that the voice of the person sitting opposite her did not belong to Ming Jol-Ik but to someone entirely different. Upon enquiring timidly, she was simply told that the former leader had passed away and this new person was to be his replacement. Immediately after, she had been ordered to keep quiet as the new leader read and learnt the rules of gungi. Surprised to learn that he did not already know the rules, Komugi tried her best to hide it and once again felt that overflowing honour in having been summoned to be his first challenger.

“Wait,” his deep voice broke into her thoughts, snapping her attention back to him. “Shall we make a wager for this next game?” Her spine tingled, sensing the danger in that question. It almost felt like he was a ferocious lion waiting to pounce, while she was the white innocent lamb that could hardly bleat, let alone escape him. Yet, she tilted her head, slightly curious about what he had to offer, “A wager, sir?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “If you win, I’ll offer you anything you want. But if you lose…” here, he paused, and she could tell that he was sizing her up while he considered what he wanted from her. She sat up straighter. “If you lose, I’ll take your left arm,” he said simply. She could sense his quiet intent in that one promise alone.

Komugi shivered as her spine tingled yet again but she stilled for a few minutes, considering his offer. The slight fear that she had felt when she first heard his request slowly melted into childlike curiosity. Why did he want her left arm? What use would it be to him? She shifted her head and thought hard about it. It was futile. She couldn’t come up with an answer. Did it have to be her left arm though? Could it be something else? One that she gambled with herself on every game she played? But that would be worthless to him as well… And he might be offended at the mere suggestion of it. She clutched her head hard in her hands, trying to think of a solution.

“Well? What do you say?” he demanded. “Umm… Would it be ok if I offered something else other than my left arm?” she asked timidly, unsure if she would displease him with her bargain. After a second of loaded silence, he asked, “What would you like to offer?” She could sense a slight intrigue in his voice, wonder at what else she would have to give him.

“If I lose, I will give you my life,” she said with a hand at her heart. Everything went still at her declaration and she could sense both pairs of eyes – the new ruler’s and his guard’s – locked on her, studying her keenly. After what seemed to be a decade’s worth of waiting, he said almost tenderly to her, “I don’t understand. Why would you give me that?” He seemed to be having trouble admitting that he did not understand her offer and she could hear the vast frustration in his question.

She explained to him somewhat apologetically, “I live in a family of twelve, and besides my playing gungi, I have nothing else to give to them. Being crowned World Champion since thirteen and never having conceded a game for the past five years, I have finally managed to bring them at least a steady stream of income. Everytime I play, I would count my own life forfeit if I were to ever lose. If I lose, I would be useless and become rubbish to my family once again.” She stopped for a breath and sniffled, hurriedly wiping her nose with the cloth which she again stuffed into her pockets. Komugi continued, somewhat abashedly, “But if I offer you my life, I would be offering you a pile of rubbish… which might upset you,” her voice trailed off, meek and small.

Another round of loaded silence. Why was he keeping quiet? Was he indeed angry that she had offered up her pointless life to him? Komugi bowed her head in shame and waited for him to explode at her. Or in the worst case scenario, take her life before the game even started.

Much to her surprise, however, he began laughing, sending chills crawling across her flesh. Komugi cocked her head, bewildered as to the reason he found her so amusing. Once he was finished, he said to her softly, “My apologies, it seems I was not serious enough about our games. You could request for my life too if you wanted.” Feeling aghast at the mere suggestion of it, she spluttered and bowed her head low to the ground, “No, Supreme Leader, I would never request that!” She could feel a similar reaction emanating from just beside her, where she assumed the King’s trusted guard sat.

He said mockingly, “It was merely a joke,” She immediately relaxed but he continued smoothly, his voice now edged with an inquisitive tinge, “I’m sorry, I’ll call off the wager but… I am curious… What would you have requested if you had won?”

Again, she froze as she tried to think of a suitable answer. These questions would be the death of her, if she didn’t lose to him at gungi. “Hmmmm… I actually have no idea,” she struggled as she tried to think of something appropriate. “Could we play a match first, so that I could have time to think about what I wanted? I’ll tell you if I win,” she hedged, stalling for time. Without missing a beat, he answered, “Of course, we will play but you will have to tell me what you want at the end of this game, whether you win or lose.” She nodded her head in defeat as they both began arranging their pieces on the wooden board in front of them.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The King poured all his pieces onto the board, signaling that he had once again conceded defeat to Komugi. She felt no joy in this victory though, as she would need to tell him what she wanted from him. Well… as a consolation, at least she didn’t need to tell him what she wanted and take her own life if she had lost to him. She sensed the board being pushed away from between them, his animalistic focus now trained directly on her.

“Tell me, what do you want from me?” his deep voice smooth and edged with a slight taunt. Komugi lowered her head as her cheeks started to warm. About halfway through the game, she had thought of what she wanted but… it was too embarrassing a want to be said out loud. She twiddled her thumbs together and sniffled as she hesitated to tell him. Both her face and neck were starting to feel a little too warm for her liking.

“Well?” he demanded impatiently. She could hear something swishing furiously through the air, her strands of hair blown back from her face by the gusts of wind it created. She started to mumble haltingly, “Ummm… would it… be ok… if I just told you what I wanted, Supreme Leader? You and only you?” Immediately, she felt the leader’s focus shift to the guard beside her, a silent order for the guard to clear out of the room. She could feel the guard standing up slowly, and almost begrudgingly, step out of the throne room. She grew even redder, embarrassed at being the reason the guard had to leave his post.

Once the door to the throne room closed shut, the King’s intense focus was turned back on her. Komugi trembled, feeling both hot and cold under his ferocious stare. She hesitated again on whether she should tell him what she truly wanted. Until she felt something sharp pressed against the hollow of her throat. “Tell me what you want now, before I rip out your throat,” he threatened, voice almost guttural.

Although she was held at knife point, she assumed, her embarrassment had overwhelmed her and she felt no fear. Her face almost burning, she said, “Dear Supreme Leader, if you would allow me to do so, I would like…” She took a deep shaky breath and continued, “I would like to touch your face. I would like to know the face of the new leader who has so humbly deigned to play gungi with a nobody like me. I want to know the face of the man who has so valiantly lost to me time and time again, but still requests for matches unceasingly.” She bowed her head, cheeks flushed red.

A wondrous silence fell and she felt the sharp-edged object held at her throat fall away. After a few minutes, she lifted her head at the clearing of his throat. He murmured, so low that she could hardly hear the words he was saying. She strained to listen. “Why do you ask for something so simple? You could ask for anything… all the riches in the world, all the power in it. You could even ask for your blindness to be healed. But you ask to touch me?” Again, she could hear that frustration brewing in his question. Was her request really that hard to understand?

She spoke kindly, matching his tone, “I am merely a humble girl with no education or a good background. I have never wanted riches or power. I just want the people around me to be happy. However, if I ask that of you, it would be an extremely selfish request as there are thousands of people that I want to make happy. So the least selfish want that I have… would be for myself… to know how you look like, Supreme Leader. If you would allow me to” she added deferentially.

Again, after a few minutes of silence where Komugi wondered if he would indeed grant her her wish, he said hoarsely, “Approach me. You would need to be closer to me if you were to touch my face, would you not?” Komugi’s heart jolted at his words. He was actually allowing someone like her to know his appearance? It had been a terrible request and one she had regretted the moment it left her mouth. No one, absolutely no one, ever wanted to be touched by her. They all believed that her touch would bring them bad luck. Even though she knew otherwise, she hadn’t touched anyone since she was five lest she be more hated. The permission she received from the new King of East Gorteau pierced her heart so much that she felt tears pooling at the corner of her eyes and she furiously swiped them away as she knelt on her knees to crawl toward his voice.

She felt something warm and firm touch her lower back, guiding her to him gently. Once she was seated before him, close enough to feel the warmth emanating from his body, he grasped her wrists in his hands and pulled them slightly higher than her shoulder level to cup against something soft and warm. “You may touch me,” he whispered hauntingly to her. Komugi quivered, an unknown unexplained desire blooming from her heart. Her curiosity bubbled up as well. He had… what… four fingers…?

From the way the part of him she was touching had moved when he whispered to her, she concluded that it was his cheeks she was currently touching. She moved her fingers gently up to his forehead, wanting to feel if his hair was anything like hers. What she encountered, however, made her frown in puzzlement, brows knotting together as she felt the warm hard thing protruding all around his forehead. What was it? A helmet? It definitely felt like a helmet… But… why would he be wearing a helmet in the palace? The shape and texture felt like a turtle’s shell the more she touched it. As she carefully lowered her hands from the shell like object, she murmured to him, “Is that your crown?”

He snorted and said, “Something like that.” She could hear the amusement in his voice. Emboldened by the fact that he thought her funny, her fingers travelled down the sides of his forehead over his ears. These felt human, save for the extra piece of long soft flesh dangling down beside his sideburns. Curious. She could tell he wasn’t human but she didn’t feel at all frightened sitting this close to him and touching him. In fact, she felt amazingly safe with him even though he had threatened to take her life more than once. Not even her Pa and Ma could give her this secure peaceful feeling. Once more, she tugged teasingly on the soft flesh hanging by his ears, and left it in favor of tracing his brows above his eyes.

She warned him, “I’m going to touch your eyes, you better close them. I don’t want to accidentally poke them.” Obeying her, he closed his eyes. He shifted closer to her, head dropping lower so that she wouldn’t need to stretch her arms so much. His legs also moved to surround her, one leg folded around where she was sitting but not touching her and the other was immediately beside her, lifted higher to support his resting arm. She felt infinitely warmer with the shift in position and was acutely aware that he was much closer to her than before. She could feel his hot breath against her forehead and her cheeks started to burn again.

Her fingers traced his closed eyelids. So soft. He had two eyes like any human. Maybe it was only the hard shell on his head and soft flesh by his ears that made up his inhuman side. Oh… and his four fingers. His eyelashes fluttered as her fingertips brushed past and her mouth opened in wonder at the long lashes she felt. It was probably longer than hers. She whispered in awe, “You have beautiful eyes, your lashes feel so long.” His only response was a slight twitching and he nudged her hands with his head as if urging her to touch him more.

Now her fingers were tracing the bridge of his high upturned nose. She almost sighed. He had beautiful features even if he was not human. More beautiful than her without a doubt. As her fingers moved over the tip of his nose and ended up just above what would be the start of his lips, she swallowed, hesitating to move lower. This was getting to be a bit too intimate. Her chest had started to ache mysteriously and now, her heart hammered in her chest as well. Would it be ok for her to touch his mouth? She could feel his breath altering as well, becoming heavier and less steady. Her fingers slowly, minutely moved to trace the top curve of his lips, following the smooth lines. For some weird reason, her body tingled pleasurably even though she was not the one being touched.

“Why have you stopped?” he asked, his voice seemingly deeper than before. Komugi shivered at his rugged voice, her heart clenching with a deep ache. “I feel… a bit shy to touch your mouth,” she admitted modestly. “And why is that?” he pressed. “I don’t know,” she whispered and blushed. She took in a deep breath, gathering her courage, and moved to press her fingertips fully against his slightly parted mouth. She bit down on the moan that threatened to slip past her own lips. So warm and soft. She felt an urge to kiss him, to just press her lips gently against his to see how he tasted. She had never felt this kind of hunger before.

He seemed to be drawn to her as well, his forehead lowering to brush against hers, his uneven breath mixing with hers. They shared breath for a few minutes, while her palm cupped his left cheek tenderly and her thumb continued stroking his lips. Finally, he whispered to her, “What did you do to me? What is this feeling that you stir within me?” Every word he uttered, she could feel his warm breath brushing her lips, making her shiver with delight. “It’s the first time I feel this way as well,” she said somewhat breathlessly. She could feel his hand moving up her upper back to her neck, cupping and massaging the back of her neck and tangling with the short curls of hair that had escaped her ponytails. A small mewl escaped her at the tingly sensation of his gentle fingers stroking her nape.

As if that little sound was his undoing, he pushed her neck up, arching her body so that she was pressed flush against his chest. His other hand had moved to her lower back, pressing her urgently against him. His lips met hers gently but also insistently. Komugi felt fireworks light up inside her at the touch of his lush lips against hers and she gasped, not expecting him to actually kiss her. Her heart felt like it would burst from her chest. He growled hungrily at the small sounds that were escaping her and his mouth moved to cover hers again. “Mmm… Ummm…” he swallowed the pleasured sounds she was making. Her hands were now at his neck as well, pulling him closer so that she could taste more of him. He had a unique taste, she couldn’t quite describe it. As she broke the kiss to gasp for air, he trailed his mouth down her jaw to her exposed throat, kissing her tenderly.

Komugi panted, arching her back more and exposing more of her throat to him. She could feel his smirk against her nape and he moved away from her neck to once again press his forehead to hers, ragged breath mixing with her gasping pants. “That was…” she murmured dazedly. “Something else,” he finished for her, kissing her chastely and sweetly on her lips again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read! All comments are welcome ^_^
> 
> 2nd chapter has just been posted today! And I'm here crying with joy TT^TT and exhaustion rofl.


	2. First Love (and First Interruption?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the point where Meruem had gone to Komugi's room just to find a bird attacking her... And it goes from there...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whee!!! Next chapter finally uploaded!!! I feel tired. Happy but also tired. -_____- This took me a few days to write, so I hope it flows well. I had a super hard time deciding whether I should write this from Komugi's or Meruem's POV. I might add another chapter to reveal Komugi's thoughts during this chapter as well, but I dunno... I'll think about it. Also, it didn't quite turn out how I had planned it at first but this works as well I guess.
> 
> Characters are not mine! And plot is based on the anime but twisted according to how I like it. Also, I wouldn't consider this to be too explicit yet. I think. I'm still dithering over whether I should make this story explicit or whether I should just write a whole other series about them being naughty to accompany this one... Hmmmm... decisions decisions...
> 
> Anyways, happy reading! ^_^

Sitting idly on his throne, his mind drifted back to that day. The day he had first tasted a woman’s lips and felt that soft warm body flush against his own. Almost a week had passed since the incident and he still did not know what to make of it. He had avoided any and all physical contact with her after his poor showing of self-control the other day, taking care not to touch her whenever they played their gungi matches.

It wasn’t that he disliked touching her. In fact, it was the direct opposite – he enjoyed the feel of her skin against his so much, he could hardly bring himself to admit it. He could still recall the sensations as clear as day. Her fingers tracing the rim of his ears, tugging teasingly on the two pieces of flesh hanging by them. Moving down his nose, tickling him slightly. He had almost sneezed then but had managed to hold it in with a little effort. And when her hands had finally reached his lips… he swallowed, throat aching at the memory. The hunger that had flared in him! Even he had been taken aback at the overwhelming intense need for her that had hit him like a tidal wave at the time. He could still feel the vestiges of that need stirring inside him every now and then. It was apparent each time he thought about her.

That brought him back to why he now took pains to stay away from her. No, it definitely was not because he disliked touching her. Rather, he hated that sense of losing control. That all-consuming desire for the girl which could sweep away his entire reason for ever being. He was born for one, and only one purpose, after all – to rule over all life forms, whether plant, animal or human. He was superior to each and every living being on earth. If he were ever to submit to her touch, he had a sneaking suspicion that this one sole purpose and everything else would be thrown out the window. He would crumble to nothing and all would be in vain. Just at her mere touch.

He flinched and stood up abruptly from where he was seated, shaken by the direction of his thoughts. He hated to admit it but he was afraid. Afraid of what would happen if he continued to associate with her. Afraid of the consequences should he keep exploring this strange unknown feeling she invoked within him. Maybe even afraid of the girl herself. What was with her touch anyway? Did she have some kind of power that was able to hypnotise others? Could it affect even him, a being that was unrivaled and flawless in every way?

He started to pace about the throne room, his long tail swishing violently through the air. How had this happened? He had made that foolhardy wager with her, attempting to knock her off her rhythm in order to try and beat her at gungi. Ashamed to say, it had not affected her one tiny bit. Instead, he was the one being thrown off rhythm! His temper got the better of him and his tail lashed out at a nearby marble pillar, slicing it cleanly in half. He emitted a low growl as his thoughts and emotions clashed furiously within him. This was unforgivable. Not only had she sparked this mysterious feeling within him, which sometimes caused his chest to hurt and throat to ache. Somehow, she must have also cast a spell on him to make him enjoy losing to her. Why else would he still anticipate facing her at gungi after losing to her multiple times?

He stopped right before the room’s main exit and he lifted his head to look up at the huge red doors, a crystal clear solution forming in his mind. He would have no choice but to eliminate her. If he wanted to stay true to his one sole aim of lording over all mankind, that was his only possible course of action. Kill her. Like what he had done to all the sniveling humans before her. It was easy and effective. Just a flick of his tail and she would be dead. I have to do it, he thought. To save myself.

But as he pushed opened the doors, he could not help wondering. Why did his heart feel like it was breaking into a million tiny pieces?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The King’s pulse started accelerating as he climbed the steps up to where the girl was kept on the highest floor in the tower. The higher he ascended, the stronger the sense of nausea and dread that plagued him. His legs were heavy, as if he were wading in thick, waist-deep mud. He thought he could hear someone telling him to turn around. Not to hurt the girl. He had glanced around and behind him a few times but there was no one, he was alone. And worst of all, his heart ached. Oh, how it ached! He rubbed at his chest as his dull steps carried him closer to the girl.

As he paused just outside the door which led to her room, he hesitated. Was this the right thing to do? He had thought it was, at first. But now… he wasn’t so sure. Something didn’t feel right. As he stood outside her door, he could almost see the black chasm that lay before him. Taunting him. If he killed her, it would be like jumping into that chasm. There would be no returning from that void which would swallow him whole. But if I don’t get rid of her, what should I –

His brooding was interrupted by a bird’s cry and a few muffled sobs. It came from behind the door. Without a second thought, he flung the door open and rushed into her room, heart hammering. What he saw made his heart stop for a second. A small hawk was attacking the girl, its sharp talons slashing the air viciously. She was silently trying to shield herself from the assault, arms raised to protect her face. And failing miserably at it. Already he could see the cuts on her face and arms, bright red blood trickling out from her wounds and splattering on to the stone floor beneath her. His heart started beating again, and a cold fury rushed through his entire being.

With cruel deadly precision, his tail struck the assailant, the stinger-like tip piercing the bird’s heart and ending its life abruptly. He swung his tail to the right, discarding the body in a far corner of the room with a thud. As he approached the girl, his anger simmered. Why had she not called out for help? He stared down at her, feeling a violent urge to smack her. Across her face. Hard. Maybe he could smack some sense into her as well. His jaw clenched and he took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging emotion within.

After a few seconds of wrestling with his temper, he crouched down so that his face was level with the girl’s. “Why did you not call us?” he asked through gritted teeth, “Surely, your blindness does not impede your speech. Or maybe it destroys your brains with time, and you were dumb enough to endure this alone.” He growled slightly. Somehow, he had a faint inkling that it was vile to put someone down due to their disability. But… right now, he couldn’t have cared less. He was furious. Furious at the stupid bird for attacking her. Furious at her for being so fragile and weak that some lesser being was able to harass her to this extent. And last of all, furious at himself for not coming to her aid sooner.

She rubbed at her cheeks, her palm leaving shaky red smears on her face as she trembled in the aftermath of the attack. “I… I…” she stammered, voice shivering. She took a deep breath and started again, “I didn’t want to inconvenience you or your guards. I’m not worthy of anyone’s time or effort to be saved. That… that was nothing compared to my other… experiences,” she tried to placate his anger but her voice broke on the last word and her tears started coming in earnest then. He froze for a second at her outpouring, not having the faintest idea of why her floodgates had suddenly burst open or how to handle her.

Moving solely on instinct, the King settled on the floor, grabbed her wrists and pulled her to him. She was so small. So thin. So light. He hugged her, hands soothing her shuddering back, his legs encircling her and pushing her closer into his warmth. She cried even harder, much to his absolute dismay, but snuggled deeper into his embrace, burying her face against his broad chest. Her sobs wracked her entire body and he could feel both his heart and throat clenching painfully while he held her in his arms. His chin settled on her head as he started to rock them gently back and forth, his hands patting her back all the while, trying to calm her desperate cries. He could not comprehend her bawling, since he had never shed a tear his whole short life. It was alien to him, this emotion. The only thought in his mind at the moment was that he would do anything in his power for her to stop crying. Her hands clutched at his chest, tears soaking through the small navy vest he always wore and he cradled her head in his hand as his lips moved to press against the top of it.

After a few minutes of him holding and rocking her patiently while she cried her eyes out, she finally calmed down and he could hear her sniffling as her arms moved to wrap around his back, returning his embrace. “I’m sorry,” he murmured gently against her head. “I’m sorry for scolding you and I didn’t mean to insult your disability. But… I was upset. I was angry because you wouldn’t rely on me. Angry at myself because I wasn’t here sooner to help you.”

Her head lifted from his chest slightly and he shifted to look down at her face. Her cheeks were drenched as he suspected his vest was as well. Her eyes and nose were red and her eyelashes glistened with moisture. His heart squeezed painfully yet again, and he lowered his mouth to her closed eyelids, kissing away the unshed tears which were still sticking to her lashes. He pulled her against himself even tighter, her head resting on his shoulder, and murmured, “I forbid you to suffer alone anymore. You are not an inconvenience to me. Your wellbeing matters to me, maybe even more so than mine. Please rely on me, I want you to.”

A particularly loud sob escaped her at his words and she burrowed even deeper into his chest, shifting her face so that her nose was touching his neck. “Thank you… for… being so nice to me,” she whispered, voice hoarse from crying. He shivered slightly as her lips brushed against his throat, feeling that deep craving stir within him again. He angled his head so that he could look down at her more clearly. His eyes were drawn to her soft pink lips, the rising need for her reminding him of what it had felt like to press his lips against hers that first time. To feel her body undulating sensually against his. To swallow the pleasured mewls which had escaped her mouth into his own.

A few trails of blood ran down her jaw and dripped from her chin. He blinked at the sight, mind abruptly cleared of the lusty haze that had shrouded it a moment ago. His wants would have to wait. He needed to get her to Pitou first. And maybe to a shower next. He arranged his arms so that one was supporting her back and the other was behind her knees. Cradling her to his chest and standing, he almost stumbled backwards. She barely weighed anything, she was as light as a feather! He growled quietly. What did she even eat? Or rather… not eat?

“I’m sorry, Supreme Leader,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest. “I must weigh a ton.” He almost barked with laughter at her absurd statement. Did she really believe that? He glanced at the only window in her room, which was looking down on the palace’s courtyard. That would be the fastest way to return to the throne room. He hugged her closer to him, painfully aware of how brittle she was. Leaping from the seven-storey-high window and landing expertly on the ground below, he retorted, “Don’t worry about something so ridiculous. Your weight is nothing to me.” As he dashed back to his room with his precious bundle in his arms, he ordered, “Pitou, to the throne room. Now.” He knew there was no need to shout. His Royal Guard’s extremely sharp hearing would detect even a whisper of his voice from a few miles away. Sure enough, as he ran, he saw a dark figure leap overhead from the highest roof tower towards the throne room.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Sire, I have healed her wounds. They were pretty much just mere scratches on her skin, though some were quite deep as you could see from her bleeding,” Pitou reported as she bowed her head low to the King seated in his throne. His tail swished slowly from side to side as he contemplated the kneeling guard before him. “And what of her eyes and nose?” he inquired. He had ordered Pitou to heal not only the wounds from the bird’s attacks, but also the girl’s blindness and her incessant sniffling. Pitou had assured him that she would try her utmost best but was unsure if it was possible for her to regain her sight.

“Her nose is as good as new. As for her eyes,” she hesitated for a bit but continued apologetically, “You will know if she is able to see again once she wakes. But I’m unable to promise anything.” The King nodded, dismissing her. She straightened from her bow but before she could leave the room, he said to her, “Pitou, tell Pouf and Youpi what I told you earlier. All three of you are to guard her as closely as you do me. In fact, you can all focus your attentions on her instead of on me. I’m able to take care of myself better than the lot of you combined.” His eyes glowed with the seriousness of the command. He did not want something like tonight to ever happen again.

She blinked once but without missing a beat, she bowed and said “Understood, Sire,” and promptly disappeared, no doubt to pass the order on to the other two Royal Guards. The King stood from his seat, stretching his sinewy muscles as he prowled to the small door at the corner of the room. He could sense her behind it, drawing him towards her. The siren was calling out to him hauntingly and he had no strength whatsoever to refrain from going to her.

Troubled by this magnetic pull that she seemed to have over him but not being able to fight it, he nudged the door slightly ajar and peeked in. There she was, her small form still and sound asleep under the covers of the huge canopy bed. A lamp on the bedside table was illuminating the room, light muted so that it would not rouse its sleeping inhabitant. He slipped silently into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Stalking to the side of the bed which was closest to the door, he looked down at her serene face, now devoid of blood and scratches.

His heart throbbed almost painfully again and his nails dug into his chest, trying to soothe the pulsing ache which bloomed from the organ beating within him. He glared at the girl lying prone before him. What had she done to him, to make him feel this pain unceasingly? His tail speared directly for her but stopped a hair’s breadth away from her cheek, her wavy silver fringe billowing and scattering about her forehead. A bead of sweat trickled from his brow to his chin and fell to the carpeted floor. His tail quivered with the enormous effort it took to stop the killing blow. A millisecond of hesitation would have resulted in her brains spilling out across the left side of the bed.

I can’t do it, I can’t kill her, the King realized as he doubled over and braced his arms on the bed, panting from the exertion of the emotions and thoughts warring within him. He could not understand the tornado of emotions whirling ferociously within him. He knew what he should do but he could not bring himself to do it. Why would his body not cooperate with his thoughts and just silence her? Just kill her and be done wit –

“Supreme Leader,” she interrupted his thoughts and he froze, lifting his head to look at her face. Her eyes were closed as always, and he could not tell if she was awake, so he kept silent as he waited for her to continue. Her hands slowly lifted to brush against his sensitive tail that he still held to her cheek, making him bite back a moan. To his utter shock, she cradled it against her face as she bought it to her cheek and gently nuzzled it. He bit the insides of his cheeks in an attempt to remain silent and his nails dug into the sheets, tearing through the soft covers. The pleasure tingling up his spine was otherworldly and it took every ounce of his self-control not to pounce on her at the moment.

She again said, in that soft dreamlike tone, “I’m… sorry, Supreme Leader… for worrying… you…” Voice drifting off, she continued to cuddle his tail to her face, even brushing her lips across it once. He winced at the intimate act, spine locking as he desperately fought to hold himself back. Gods… she was killing him and she wasn’t even awake while doing it. And here he was, fighting with himself whether to kill her or not. He would have laughed at the irony of the situation, was he not currently experiencing such intense pleasure that it bordered on pain. As it was, only a strangled choke left his mouth which he failed to stifle. He could feel his groin hardening uncomfortably as her fingers continued to stroke his tail gently.

Swallowing a growl, he made to carefully extract his tail from her gentle grasp, sweat drenching the back of his vest. After only moving an inch, she shifted on her side and hugged his tail tighter to her, nearly making him hiss with the intense sensations she was unknowingly wracking on his body. He shuddered violently as he felt her hot breath near the end of his tail, just beside the stinger. Also, her arms and fingers which were currently wrapped firmly around his tail. If there was a god in this world… please have mercy on me, he begged silently.

The girl’s stirring drew his attention again and she rubbed her cheek over his tail as she murmured softly, almost unintelligibly, “I… love you… Supreme Leader.” His eyes widened and he froze, all feeling draining from him. Time itself seemed to stop at that point.

Love. It was an alien word to him. Hearing it for the first time, he could not comprehend it. But as her words kept echoing within him, he knew. He finally realized what the raw emotion swelling within him was. He felt like he was tilting, falling as a memory from when he was still in his mother’s womb overwhelmed him.

"My baby has to be the King. He will be the stongest, most powerful being in all the Earth."

He spiraled down and down into his mother’s thoughts. Deeper and deeper.

"And he will rule all the world. He will be wild and uncontained."

There was something else his mother had said while he grew larger within her. What was it? His mind felt like it was grasping at straws.

"This is not enough. I’ll need to consume more to be able to give birth to such a one worthy of his title."

No, it was not this.

All of a sudden, the storm within him died down as he heard his mother’s voice and the voice of the girl lying before him as one. Uttering the same three words, “I love you.” He was jolted back to the present time, where he now found himself hovering on his hands and knees above the girl’s sleeping form. She was still cuddling his tail gently and sound asleep, not having the faintest idea of the monsoon which had just roared and calmed within him. Gazing down at her sleeping face, he saw a tear beginning to form at the upturned corner of her closed eyes. His heart clenched as his own eyes began to water, and he slowly lowered his lips to her forehead, hand moving to tenderly brush the unshed tear away from her eyelids. Inhaling her scent, he murmured hoarsely against her skin, “I love you too.”

As he settled in carefully under the covers beside her so as not to wake her, he knew his words were absolute. He was inexorably in love with this beautiful frail human and he would stop at nothing to protect her. His right palm pressed against her delicate left hipbone, maneuvering her so that she was pressed flush against his body. Rubbing gentle circles into her side, he rested his chin on his other palm which was propped up on his elbow just beside her head. He studied her relaxed face as if it was the first time he was actually seeing it. Long thick eyelashes, maybe even thicker than her well-defined brows. A cute button nose which was sprinkled with a handful of freckles. Sweet pink lips parted in a small snore. He could not help the small smile blooming sincerely from within, causing his lips to curve upwards slightly. Yes, he would give her anything she asked for. He would even hand over his life if she so demanded it.

The chasm that he had seen when he was just outside her room, appeared in his mind again. He had tumbled headlong down it and there was no turning back. The only differences were that it was no longer a dark void but rather a tunnel with blinding light shining at the end of it. That and the fact that she had tumbled down it together with him. As he held her to him and savored the soft warm pressure of her body against his, he thought to himself. We’ll make it through this together. With her beside me, there is nothing I can’t do.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After almost an hour of waiting, during which the King had also dozed off beside her, he felt her body stir against his and her arms reached upwards as her whole body pulled taut with the stretch. He could even feel her toes curling against his legs. She had mumbled something incomprehensible and shifted deeper into him to snuggle against his chest, drawn to the warmth emanating from him. His face had grown warmer as he felt her fingertips grazing his collarbone and bare chest. She really was going to kill him. Either she or this ravenous hunger that consumed him every time he felt her touch.

Gazing down at her face, he was faintly amused that he could actually see her blush gradually rising from her cheeks up to her forehead as it slowly dawned on her that she was not alone in the bed. The space between her brows were starting to wrinkle (in confusion, he supposed) as her fingers traced up his neck to his face. He cleared his throat and murmured quietly to her, “Good morning.” The girl flinched violently at his deep voice, and her face turned dark red at his proximity. “S-s-supreme Lead-d-der,” she sputtered in embarrassment as she tried to push away from him but failed in doing so due to his strong arms gripping her around her waist. “What happened? Why are you here with me? And on a b-b-ed?”

This was interesting. He had no idea she could get so flustered with just his mere presence, he had thought he was the only one who was so thoroughly affected by her. He tugged her arm and pulled her against him, a small “Eep!” escaping her as she collided back into his chest. His mouth just so happened to be planted on her ear and his lips brushed the shell of her ear as he said sensually, “These are the consequences of you not calling for help earlier. You ever make me worried again and I will mete out a more fitting punishment for you.” He finished his half-threat with a tantalizing lick along the outer rim of her ear, as if revealing what might befall her should she ever stay quiet again. He could feel her shuddering against him, nails digging slightly into his chest. Was she scared of him? Or was she feeling the pleasure caused by his sinful actions?

He decided he did not want to risk any misunderstanding, so he said in a gentler tone, “I wouldn’t punish you but I would be deeply traumatized if anything happened to you. Please don’t do that to me ever again.” He pleaded with her, as he kissed the top of her head. She had stilled within his arms at his words, and now she lifted her face slightly to his. “I’m sorry, Supreme Leader. I didn’t mean to worry you. I promise I will call you whenever something is troubling me,” she apologized sincerely. The King could not help smiling at her earnestness as he pulled her head into his chest again, and he mumbled into her hair, “Don’t bother calling me. I’ll never let you leave my side anymore. You’re my eternal prisoner.”

She quieted for a moment, seeming to consider his words. After a moment, she lifted her head again and cocked it curiously to the side and questioned, “Wouldn’t that make you my eternal prisoner too?” He barked out a laugh as her question caught him off guard. He contemplated it and finally answered, “Yes, I guess it does.”

Gazing at her closed eyes, he remembered why he had waited for her to wake in the first place and he asked her tenderly, “Could you do me a favor? Open your eyes and tell me what you see, if anything at all?” The girl seemed puzzled by his question, and she asked him dryly, “You do know I’m blind, right?” He almost scoffed. Obviously, anyone would know you’re blind. “Just do it. For me,” he implored.

The girl huffed a breath, scooted further away from him and sat straighter, seeming to steel herself for the upcoming disappointment. He sat up as well and stared at her intently, having absolute confidence in Pitou’s healing skills. The girl cracked open an eye and immediately shut it again, shaking her head slightly. “Sorry, it’s too bright, I can’t see anything,” she apologized. Her voice seemed edged in wonder. The King’s anticipation swelled yet again. It was too bright? Probably so, after living in darkness for so long.

She tried opening both eyes, rapidly blinking and even rubbing them. When she managed to finally open both eyes fully, they traveled slowly up the length of his body, drinking him in. When she finally locked gazes with his, still blinking owlishly to get rid of the tearing, she froze as she took all of him in. He stilled as well, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t scream. It was what every human did when they saw him after all. Her large ocean green eyes didn’t betray any emotion as she beheld him. It was surprisingly difficult to read her, even with her eyes revealed. Eyes were the windows to the soul after all. He hesitated as his heart dropped slightly. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.

After what seemed like a lifetime of silently drowning in each other’s gazes, him in her glistening doe-eyed one and her in his intense stare, she gradually relaxed from her stiff position and crawled shyly closer to him. His eyes tracked her progress, still waiting for her to turn tail and run the closer she got to him. When she reached the spot on the bed he was perched frigidly on, she rose to her knees bringing her huge eyes level with his.

He blinked as he noted the silver lining her eyes, unshed tears making her eyes glimmer. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and mumbled into his skin, voice hoarse with emotion, “Thank you… for everything. For giving me back my sight, for healing my nose, for saving me from that hawk. For treating me so well. Better than anyone else ever has,” she gulped as she swallowed down her sobs. And as if she had read his mind, she said, “I’m not afraid of you. I will never be afraid of you. Please don’t look at me like you’re expecting me to run away. I won’t run from you. I see you. I see you for who you are.” At this, she lifted her head from where it was nestled on his shoulder and stared fearlessly, albeit a bit shyly, into his eyes. “I see the man who humbled himself to play gungi with me. Everytime he lost, he would concede defeat graciously. And after that, he would still ask to play again. I see the man who would allow me to touch him, when everyone else was scared of or hated me. He reciprocated my touch and even… kissed me.” Here, she blushed and ducked her head slightly. “But most importantly,” she continued, “I see the person who is kind enough to stretch out a hand to help another lowly being. When no one else would, you did it for me. I can’t thank you enough… I… I…” she trailed off as her brilliant green eyes lifted timidly to meet his again.

His heart had been singing ever since she had declared that she would never fear him, but now it thudded in anticipation. He swallowed and raised her chin up so that he could gaze more directly into her liquid green eyes. She shuddered as the full force of his gaze was turned on her up close. “Tell me what you were going to say,” he whispered almost breathlessly. She blinked and looked away, hesitating whether she should tell him. Just when he was getting impatient, her gaze met his again and he was taken aback by the look in her eyes. Her determination was almost palpable from the resolve blazing in them.

“I think… I think I love you, Supreme Leader. No,” she corrected herself, “I know I do. I know I love you and there’s no one and nothing in this world who will be able to change that fact.” She started to fidget and her eyes cast downward as her words tumbled over each other, “I know you might not return my feelings b-b-but I don’t expect you t-“

She was interrupted by his finger pressing firmly against her lips and she blinked owlishly up at him as he smiled sweetly down at her. “Fool, I’ve always told you not to worry about such unnecessary things. I’m honored – and I repeat that – honored that you would feel such emotions for me. Believe me, I have done nothing to deserve your love, but being the greedy creature that I am, I’ll take it,” he lowered his forehead to press against hers tenderly and whispered huskily, “Because I love you too.”

He gazed, under heavy lidded eyes, into hers as he took in her shocked look. She looked comically like a fish out of water, mouth gasping for air. He thought, amused. Said mouth slammed shut when he asked her softly, “May I kiss you? I’ve been wanting to do it since that first time I tasted your lips.” His eyes were fixated on her inviting mouth. Whether she was doing it consciously or not, he did not know, but his attention zeroed in on the way her tongue darted out as she licked and wet her lips. He licked his in anticipation as well.

A nervous nod was all he needed before his mouth descended on hers, her lips molding to his perfectly as if they were made for each other. His hand cradled her head cautiously but at the same time, he was pressing her urgently against him as if he couldn’t get enough of the taste and feel of her. He lowered her gently to the bed without breaking their kiss but as he placed her on the bed, she broke it as she gasped for much needed air. His mouth trailed tantalizing kisses up to her ear and he whispered darkly, “Breathe, I’m not done with you yet.” Her body shook and she whimpered at his words. Everything about her was delicious, her mouth, her skin, the sounds she was making. He moaned as he could feel himself hardening again.

He moved to cover her mouth with his again, thrilled to find it still parted as she panted for breath. His tongue licked sensually at her parted lips before delving into her mouth to press tenderly against hers. The feeling of her tongue against his sent delicious tingles up his spine and he growled hungrily, body quivering with barely contained self-control. She must have felt the same because she mewled passionately into his mouth, hands moving to his vest and pulling him tightly against her. Her body arched and she pressed herself more fully against him, mouth fused so closely to his that he could hardly tell where he ended and where she began. He smirked as he felt her desperate need and eagerness thrumming through him and began to trace lazy patterns in her mouth with his tongue, coaxing her tongue to do the same. As their tongues slid and twisted against the other with increasing intensity, his right hand grazed down the left side of her body, feeling out her curves underneath the cotton dress that was concealing them.

Just as his hand was almost at the juncture of her thighs, three hurried knocks at the door and a muffled “Sire,” saw them stilling against each other. His hand had stopped at her lower abdomen and it itched to travel slightly further down to cup the precious spot between her legs. To feel her wetness which must have been giving off that heady fragrance, now surrounding them. Growling, he disentangled his tongue from hers and whipped his head towards the door as he uttered the one single word which conveyed his entire annoyance at being interrupted during their love making, “What?!” His voice was guttural with raw need for the girl below him and he could feel her quake under him.

Pouf’s muted voice sounded again from behind the doors, “I need to speak with you on something, Sire. It’s urgent.” The King growled but ground out through his teeth, “I’ll be coming out soon.” When he felt Pouf’s presence leave, he sighed and lowered his tense lean body to press against the girl’s soft warm one, suddenly feeling drained. He could feel her fingers kneading his neck and shell soothingly as she chuckled gently underneath him. He lifted his head to look at her, anticipating the pink blush of her cheeks. Yep, it was there alright, the rose coloring dusting her cheeks, her forehead, her neck and chest. He smirked as he drank in the obviously thoroughly ravaged sight of her on the sheets, chest heaving in gasps for breath from his heated onslaught. Her starlight colored hair was coming loose from her bindings and splaying messily across the pillows. His eyes darkened when it roved over her flush swollen lips, clear evidence of their passionate lip-locking.

Her whole being invited, tempted and cajoled him to ignore Pouf. To stay with her to continue their intimate coupling. But… ahhh… he groaned as he pressed his lips to her forehead and lips firmly, and swiftly rolled off the bed, straightening his vest. Turning back to her, he saw her sweet smile and she told him, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be waiting for you. I’m never leaving you anyway, I’m your prisoner forever remember?” He laughed and bent over to kiss her brow hard again. As he opened the door and slipped through it, she said, “Wait. May I know your name, Supreme Leader?” He edged back into the room as he contemplated her question. Odd. He didn’t have an answer for her. He responded with a question instead, “Do you have one?”

She piped up cheerfully, “Of course, your Majesty, my name is Komugi,” she bowed low to him as she told him her name. He smiled slightly and murmured, “Komugi,” softly, making her beam. She waved shyly as he exited the room and closed the door quietly behind him. He leaned against it and rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly in a pensive mood. Komugi, he mouthed. She had a name… but… he didn’t..? The knowledge troubled him slightly as he made his way out of the throne room to meet Pouf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can almost imagine Pouf tearing his hair out while calling for Meruem behind the door *evil laughs*
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I still haven't started on the next chapter *sobs* TT^TT I promise to post the next one ASAP.
> 
> All comments are welcome ^_^
> 
> Until next time,  
> FatCuddlySeal =3


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